Practice target for putting



April 15, 1952 o, 1.. KOCH ET AL 2,592,713

PRACTICE TARGET FOR PUTTING Filed Jan. 21, 1949 I Ii. 5

Snnentor; 'Olzo L. koala Patented Apr. 15, 1952 PRACTICE TARGET FOR PUTTING Otto L. Koch, Woodlynne, N. J and Perry Nix,

Philadelphia, Pa.

Application January 21, 1949, Serial No. 71,857

Claims.

The present invention deals with devices employed by golfers for the purpose of practicing their putting and is concerned primarily with certain improvements which particularly adapt such a device for use in the home.

At the present time, golf is a sport which is widely played by the public. During inclement seasons and on other occasions golfers are desirous of practicing their putting at home or in other similar places. Such practicing operations give rise to certain conditions which must be met by the device employed if it is to meet with the approval of the user.

In the first place, the device must be of such a character as to indicate whether a putt which has been made i accurate or inaccurate. Secondly, the device should be effective to return a putted ball to the immediate proximity of the putter and finally there should not be any loud noises created as an incident to use of the device, such as by a golf ball striking a hard surface.

The present invention has as its foremost objective the provision of a putting device which will satisfy all of these conditions.

More in detail, the invention has as an object the provision of a device of the character indicated which includes as an essential element an inclined ramp. The upper end of this ramp terminates in a back stop which is covered by a pad of soft rubber or other comparable material. This pad performs two functions. In the first instance it deaden the sound of a golf ball striking thereagainst, thus eliminating the possibility of the use of the device being objectionable or annoying to other occupants in the home in which it is used. In the second instance, the resilient nature of the pad causes the ball to rebound and imparts thereto a return impetus which cooperates with the inclination of the ramp to return the ball to the area from which it was originally struck.

Another highly important object of the invention i to provide, in a putting device of the type noted, means located at an appropriate point along the ramp for indicating whether or not a golf ball has been accurately putted. This means preferably takes the form of a gate which is swingably mounted on a horizontal axis and which includes a central opening or aperture through which a golf ball is adapted to pass. If a putt is accurate, the ball will pass through the opening in the gate without imparting any movement thereto. On the other hand, if the putt is not accurate it will strike the gate on either side of the opening and cause the gate to swing on its axis thereby indicating the inaccurate character of the putt.

A further somewhat more detailed object of the invention is to provide, in a putting device of the character noted, a gate for indicating the accuracy of the putts which is of a very light construction and will not materially interfere with or impede the travel of the ball as it is deflected thereby, so as to insure that the ball will return to the proximity of the putter carrying out the practicing operations.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention such as arise in connection with carrying out the above noted ideas in a practical embodiment will, in part become apparent, and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises a putting practice device which consists essentially of an inclined ramp having a backstop at its upper end provided with a rubber pad and with a gate swingably mounted on a horizontal axis adjacent its lower end and formed with an aperture through which a putted ball is adapted to pass.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a practice putting device designed in accordance with the precepts of this invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in Figure 1 with the parts developed in exploded relation; and

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the device taken about on the plane represented by the line 3-3 of Figure 1. 1

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts and first more particularly to Figure 1, the device for practicing putting which is provided by this invention is shown as comprising three main elements. These are: a ramp which is referred to in its entirety by the reference character R, a backstop B, and a gate G.

Upon referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the backstop B comprises a vertical panel I0 which may be made from any appropriate material of which wood is one example. This panel may have any ornamental'configuration desired and while it is described as being vertical, it will in actual use assume a position which is slightly inclined with respect to the true vertical.

Secured to one face of the panel it is a block I I with the joinder being effected in any preferred manner such as by using an adhesive orother fastening elements. The block H is form-ed with a pair of openings I 2 and i3 which are located at the opposite sides thereof and which preferably 1 take the rectangular formation illustrated. These openings are continued back through the panel I ll. As shown in Figure 1 a pad I4 is mounted on the exposed face of the block it between these openings I2 and L3. This pad I4 is preferably of a soft rubber although it may be made from any material :Which-Ihasthe ability to deadensound coupled with the" property of resiliency so that it will impart a return impetus to a golf ball striking thereagainst.

The ramp R comprises two side members. [5 andv I5 which are substantial duplicates. Each of these members has a tapered construction as illustrated; providing a more shallow depth at the lowerzend' r:

as represented at IT, and a greater depthatthe other end as indicated at I8. "Each of themenn bers l5 and It at its Wider end 18 isxformed with a reduced extension 519 and these extensions I 9 correspond. :in size and shapev to the openings l2 and H3 in which they are snugly received. This connection between theside members i5 and i6 and thebackstop B may berendered permanent by using an adhesive in the'joints. between the extensions 1 9 and the holes 12 and Hi. I r

The inner .face'of each of the sidepieces i5 and.

E5: is formed with. a longitudinally extending groove 2i], and it will be'noted that these-grooves are substantially parallel to the lower edgesof theasidepieces but have a nonparallelrelation with-respect to'the upper edges. Thesidepiecesl5 and .16 may be made from any material desired although theinvention has %particularly in mind a the use of the same material employed in making thebackstop parts It and: l I, such as wood.

A ramp' bottomor'floor-is designated-ZL- This bottomis preferably madefroma thin sheet ma.-;

terial. such as cardboard 'and it will be noted is defined by a long bottom edge- 22, a narrow top edge 23,- and side edges 24 and-25 which converge from theiwide-bottom to the narrow top; .The side 1 edges 2d and 25 are received in the grooves 20 in the 'sidepieces l5 and Hi.-

'It will be notedthat-therubber pad M is snugly positioned on the bottom 2! above thevnarrow edge 23 so as to completelyrfill the'space between thewider ends of the sidepieces l5 and E6. This 1 rubber pad may extend a slightdistance above the topedges of the sidepie'ces 'as indicated in Figure 1;

The gate G consists of the vertical standards 25 and "21, the lower-endof eachof which is cut away to'provide a notch 'as indicated at 28 for I receiving the respective sidepiece "1501' 96. A crossbar 29 has-its ends notchedas-indicated at 3Q for'receiving the lower ends of the standards Ziandfl. ThiscrossbarZQ extends across the underface of the bottom 2| and thenotched ends are joined'to the-lower ends of thestandards-ZB- and 21 in any preferred manner such-'asby'using an'adhesive fastening elements or both.

It Will be noted that where thenotches 2811's ceive the sidepieces l5 and I8; "the'latter are formed with .recesses' on "their. outer'faces as in-".. dicatedat 3i and these recesseszreceive"ribs"'32 formed on the faces of the. notches '28.". ThiS.ll1+.

sures of a firm interlockbetween the standards 26 andiil and the sidepieces I 5 and IS.

The. upper 'ends of 'the standards "26 and 2? are :formed with'small apertures 33 anda l which are in alignment. These apertures receive the ends of a shaft 35 which extends across the ramp R in spaced relation thereabove.

The gate proper is designatedfifi andis carried:

by. the shaft 35.. Thei'connectionbetween the. two may be. established -in anyv preferred mannersuch:

. made.

as by using the fastening elements shown at 31 in Figure 3.

The gate member 36 may be made from any appropriate material, although the invention. has

particularly in mind the use of a light sheet ma- ,light sees not to materially impede the travel of the'gol'f ball;'

It .willrbe noted that the bottom 2!. is made from a fairly rigid sheets This bottom is preferablycovered by a sheet 40 of .a material'which more closely resemblessa putting surface such as blotting paper on which the golf ball will take a more natural roll. Thissheet tll is shaped to accurately conform .to thelbottom 2i and is fitted in betweenthe sidepieces *l 5 and it.

While the manner ofusing the practice-putting. deviceabov'e'described .is believed to .beobvious from the description given, it isnoted that the putter-standsin a position aniappropriate dis tance in front of the'lower-wider end-22 of the ramp and .substantially in alignment with the rubber pad i l and opening 38..- When-he strikes the golf. ball the wide expanse of the lower end of the ramp j ustabout insures that the ball will at least goon to the ramp. If it passes through the openingfit :there will be no deflection vof the gate which will indicate that .theputt has been. accurately madeWOn theother hand, if theputt is not accurate the. ball will strike the memberst on either side of .the opening 38 to causeaswingingdeflection of the. gate-.which indicates. to the putter the characterof his'putt. Asthe ball travels up the ramp, it isconfinedby the converging sidepieces i5 and ld-and its travelin-ithat direction is finally stopped by the pad i l against whichit strikes- The sound of theimpact is deadened by the pad and the ball is given a return impetus which coupled with gravity action caused by. the inclination of the ramp will return the ball to the proximity of the putter.

While a preferred specificfembodimentof the invention-is he'reinbefore setfor-th, 1 it is to be clearly understood that theinvention is notto be limited to the exact constructions and elements illustrated and described because various modifi cations of these details may be provided'in putting the invention into-practice within the purview of the appended claims;

What is claimed is:

1. A practice putting device of the character described, comprising'in combination; an inclined ramp, a backstop: supporting. the upper'end of said ramp, and a gate swingablymountedon a horizontal axis spaced-an appreciable distance above -saidtramp, said gate :having a lower end below. said axis; and spaced from said rampa slight distance when said gate assumes a vertical position-over said ramp, the. space between the 7 lower end of said gate and said ramp being less than the diameter of a conventional golf ball, said gate beingformed with a central aperture;

2. A practice putting-idevice of the character described,.comprising in combination, an inclined ramp:.having :a lower end. and: an upper end, a

backstop supporting said upper end, a pad .of.-re.-'1

silient materialatcarried by said-backstop and pea sitioned over said upper end, and a gate formed with a central aperture and swingably mounted on a horizontal axis in a vertical position over said ramp adjacent to the lower end thereof, said gate having a lower end that is spaced from said ramp a distance that is less than the diameter of a conventional golf ball.

3. A practice putting device comprising an inclined ramp having a floor and an upper end, a backstop supporting said upper end and secured to said ramp, a pad of resilient material carried by said backstop and positioned over said upper end of said ramp, a sheet of material fabricated to provide a putting surface superimposed upon said floor and secured thereto, and a gate mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis adjacent one end thereof and above said ramp and carried by said ramp and the other end of said gate being spaced from the floor of said ramp a distance that is less than the diameter of a conventional golf ball, said gate being provided with a central aperture.

4. A practice putting device comprising an inclined ramp having a floor and an upper end, a backstop supporting said upper end and secured to said ramp, a pad of resilient material carried by said backstop and positioned over said upper end of said ramp, a sheet of material fabricated to provide a putting surface superimposed upon said floor and secured thereto, and a gate mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis adjacent one end thereof and above said ramp and carried by said ramp and the other end of said gate being spaced from the floor of said ramp a distance that is less than the diameter of a conventional golf ball, said gate being provided with an aperture extending inwardly from said other end thereof and terminating intermediate the ends thereof.

5. A practice putting device comprising an in clined ramp having a floor and said ramp con verging from the lower end thereof toward the upper end thereof, a backstop supporting said upper end and secured to said ramp, a pad of resilient material carried by said backstop and positioned over said upper end of said ramp, a sheet of material fabricated to provide a putting surface superimposed upon said floor and secured thereto, and a gate mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis adjacent one end thereof and above said ramp and carried by said ramp and the other end of said gate being spaced from the floor of said ramp a distance that is less than the diameter of a conventional golf ball, said gate being provided with an aperture extending inwardly from said other end thereof and terminating intermediate the ends thereof.

O'I'IO L. KOCH. PERRY NIX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,544,380 Edmonston June 30, 1925 1,558,766 Smith Oct. 27, 1925 1,625,265 Malloy Apr. 19, 1927 1,667,481 Lange et a1. Apr. 24, 1928 1,759,156 Fish May 20, 1930 1,939,819 Isaza Dec. 19, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,711 Great Britain 1906 

